69735 (2024). Ingrid Leary to the Minister for Mental Health

69735 (2024). Ingrid Leary to the Minister for Mental Health: Does the Minister agree with consultant psychiatrist Professor Marie Bismark that “patients miss out on high quality care when they're being seen by a succession of different locums ... especially if locums are potentially disagreeing on the person’s diagnosis or treatment plan”; if so, what, if anything, will he do to address this?

Hon Matt Doocey: I am advised that when a patient engages with mental health services they commonly have a multidisciplinary team of health professionals involved in their care who prepare an individualised treatment plan for the patient. Therefore, when care under a sole psychiatrist cannot be arranged and locums must be utilised, continuity of care is achieved via the individualised treatment plan which guides the contribution of the staff involved.